He is also a very inspirational Christian motivational speaker. He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. Richards was elected to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 after being inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1975, according to U.S.A. Track and Field. Rain ending early. Warmerdam, known as Dutch, might have been an odds-on Olympic favorite, but he never got to compete because the quadrennial Games were suspended in 1940 and 1944 for World War II, when he was serving as a Navy officer. In his life after sports, Richards portrayed himself in a television biography, Leap to Heaven (1957); hosted a weekly childrens television program in Los Angeles; reported for NBC, CBS and ABC on the Olympic Games in Rome, Innsbruck, Tokyo and Montreal; and delivered some 12,000 motivational speeches to corporate sales forces, high school students and community organizations. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. He was 97. Top 20 Richest Motivational Speakers in the World. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. His parents were divorced when he was a teenager, but a minister gave him a home, steered him away from the streets and awakened his interest in religion. Dear Abby: Sister-in-law miffed when she's left out of wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan have been asked to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Veterans can now access their disability benefit decisions online, From hoops to a heavenly agenda, at 103, Sister Jean 'Wakes Up With Purpose' every day, Biden sets in motion gasoline policy shift to bolster ethanol. He was the voice during the early 1950s of Sky King, the hero of a radio adventure series, and was a WGN radio program host from 1950 to 1956. Bob Richards Quotes - BrainyQuote. Bob Richards, a three-time olympian and the first athlete to ever be featured on a Wheaties cereal box, has died, his son said on social media. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren-affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. You are what you think you are. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also was an ordained minister, died Sunday. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . Bob Richards, an ordained minister who became the first athlete to appear on the front of a Wheaties box after he won two Olympic gold medals in the pole vault during the 1950s, an accomplishment he parlayed into a successful career as a motivational speaker, died Feb. 26 at his home in Waco, Texas. Though Bob Richards in the flesh costs cash, the market for him is humming, and now, having knocked them dead at Evansville and Northwood, he faces a grinding Wednesday schedule. Although there is no cost to attend the Feb. 15 Alden J. Blanar Smith Speaker Series, seating is limited in the Performing Arts Center. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Until 2012, he had lived on a ranch in Santo, Texas, which he named the Crossbar Ranch after the obstacles that he famously vaulted over, and which was involved in numerous commercial activities, including oil and gas exploration and horse and cattle grazing. Richards will begin speaking at 7:30 p.m. and a reception is scheduled at the conclusion of the Series. Motivational Speaker Quotes. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren-affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. Bob Richards. a blog by Jack Limpert, Editor of The Washingtonian for more than 40 years. Bob Richards, byname of Robert Eugene Richards, (born February 20, 1926, Champaign, Illinois, U.S.died February 26, 2023, Waco, Texas), American athlete, the first pole-vaulter to win two Olympic gold medals. He won 11 championship titles at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. When Richards finally triumphed with an Olympic record of 14 feet 11 inches, a defeated Soviet rival, Viktor Knyazev, clasped him in a bear hug. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. Dr. Mark DeVolder | Motivational Speaker on Change and Employee Engagement. Like many others, I have a home security system that, when armed, calls a central office if a door is opened or a window is broken. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. He earned a bachelors degree in 1947 and a masters in 1948. That mark (pending official ratification) surpassed his own previous five world records, all over 20 feet and all set since 2020. Cold War tensions again played out in the 1956 Melbourne Games. }Customer Service. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. When Richards finally triumphed with an Olympic record of 14 feet 11-1/4 inches, a defeated Soviet rival, Viktor Knyazev, clasped him in a bear hug. A motivational speaker (sometimes called an inspirational speaker) is a speaker who offers talks that inspire audiences. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. His parents were divorced when he was a teenager, but a minister gave him a home, steered him away from the streets and awakened his interest in religion. He was 97. Richards hugged him back, for which he was criticized by some American officials and members of the news media. In fact, as a youth Richards, the son of a broken home, had run with a gang of thieves and brawlers, and five of his friends went to prison for robbery. These people who want to wave the flag and play the band, thats not the real spirit of the Olympics, he told The New York Times years later. That mark (pending official ratification) surpassed his own previous five world records, all over 20 feet and all set since 2020. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Besides winning two gold medals in the Olympics in the 1950s, he took a bronze medal at the 1948 Olympics in London and gold at the Pan American Games in 1951 and 1955. She died in 2019. Stephen Richards Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker. Its pretty amazing., Basketball scores for Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. I have been with my husband for four years, and married for about a year. Dave Ramsey David Ramsey is an American financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker. He was 97. The Suez crisis and the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian revolution led some nations to withdraw in protest. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Hisson, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his fatherpassed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. Until 2012, he had lived on a ranch in Santo, Texas, which he named the Crossbar Ranch and which was involved in numerous commercial activities, including oil and gas exploration and horse and cattle grazing. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival. UU. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland, and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. Richards in 1951. "We are very fortunate to have Bob Richards come and speak at our college," Hill College President Dr. Pam Boehm said. He emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, the Times reported. Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, diedon Sunday at his home in Waco, Texas. These people who want to wave the flag and play the band, thats not the real spirit of the Olympics, he told The New York Times years later. Bob is an ordained minister and motivational speaker who has given over 3,000 speeches. Although he was a successful professional wakeskater, he felt called by God and attended college for theology. Richards was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. American pole vaulter Bob Richards, left, talks with Brazilian pole vaulter Helcio Buck-Silva during a break in a training session in Helsinki, July 11, 1952. He was 97. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. They are champions because they've been hurt. Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. He emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, The Times reported. Richards in 1951. Would you like to receive our daily news? Bob Richards, the ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, at the Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, in 1952, when he won a gold medal. Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News. Advertisement That marriage ended in divorce. Required fields are marked *. Wrote Brandon Richards, We lost a national treasure, adding that his father always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. Todays top male vaulters, with refined techniques and springy fiberglass poles that bow almost to U shapes, routinely soar over crossbars set above 19 feet. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. In fact, as a youth Richards, the son of a broken home, had run with a gang of thieves and brawlers, and five of his friends went to prison for robbery. Your email address will not be published. Their words are often powerful and their talks impactful, regardless of whether they are attempting to challenge, transform or convince the audience. The 1952 Olympic Games were a symbolic watershed in the Cold War. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. He continued participating in track and field events as he aged, joining the World Masters Games in quadrennial competitions popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic competitors. The family that plays and prays together stays together, Richards intoned on countless occasions. Cold War tensions again played out in the 1956 Melbourne Games. In his life after sports, Richards portrayed himself in a television biography, Leap to Heaven (1957); hosted a weekly childrens television program in Los Angeles; reported for NBC, CBS and ABC on the Olympic Games in Rome; Innsbruck, Austria; Tokyo and Montreal; and delivered some 12,000 motivational speeches to corporate sales forces, high school students and community organizations. Alternatively, call a booking agent directly on 0207 1010 553. His daughter, Tammy Richards LeSure, confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, died at his home in Waco, Texas. Bob's sketch was next-level hilarity and Chris Farley brought it to life in a way that nobody could've ever imagined. One day, well get out of all this flag-waving and nationalism. And Richards made history, becoming the onlymale two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, and with another record: 14 feet 11 inches. #Bob Odenkirk. "He passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and although he became one of Americas most lionized and familiar celebrities a motivational speaker and Wheaties pitchman who personified wholesome values and once ran for president of the United States on a third-party ticket Richards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. He continued participating in track and field events as he aged, joining the World Masters Games in quadrennial competitions popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic competitors. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. Capitalizing on his fame, Richards became director of the Wheaties Sports Federation, founded in 1958 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for a national physical fitness campaign. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the, Bob Richards (2009). Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and although he became one of Americas most lionized and familiar celebrities a motivational speaker and Wheaties pitchman who personified wholesome values and once ran for president of the United States on a third-party ticket Richards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. Robert D. McFadden is a senior writer on the Obituaries desk and the winner of the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for spot news reporting. That distinction, as Richards acknowledged, belonged to Cornelius Warmerdam, a Californian who used bamboo poles to set world records of about 15 feet 8 inches in the early 1940s. Bob Richards, who resides in Waco, has been an American icon for more than eight decades in the area of track and field. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. I acknowledge having read the Union Leaders, Already subscribe? Browse Motivational Speakers in Orlando and contact your favorites. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos . He emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, The Times reported. J.R. Eyerman/The LIFE Picture Collection, via Shutterstock, In 1958, Richards became director of the Wheaties Sports Federation as well as the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. By Robert D. McFadden Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, died Sunday at his home in Waco, Texas. They often encourage their audience to look at things from a different and perspective, and motivate them to take positive action in their lives. He also was the first athlete to appear on a box of Wheaties cereal. The family that plays and prays together stays together, Richards intoned on countless occasions. The duel for the gold medal was waged between Richards and fellow American Don Laz. His son Paul confirmed the death. Bob Richards is a champion all-around athlete, a former holder of the Olympic pole vault record, the Olympic gold medalist in men's pole vault for 1952 and 1956, and former director of the Wheaties Sports Federation. Richards grew up as a "skinny poor kid from Illinois with stuttering speech," his son wrote. He took home bronze in pole vaulting in his first year, but secured the gold medal in each of his next two appearances. He earned a bachelors degree in 1947 and a masters in 1948. American pole vaulter Bob Richards, left, talks with Brazilian pole vaulter Helcio Buck-Silva during a break in a training session in Helsinki, July 11, 1952. J.R. Eyerman/The LIFE Picture Collection, via Shutterstock. Chance of rain 100%.. Register for online access, Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes. Courage gives enthusiasm. Bob was world class in his events. Bob Richards. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. WASHINGTON Veterans can now access their disability benefit claim decision notice letters electronically on VA.gov, empowering them to quickly and easily see their disability decisions. Love Does has worked with Uganda's judiciary in bringing over 200 cases to trial, as well as . And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all-American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. Richards is survived by two sons, Paul and Robert Jr., and a daughter, Carol Stasiewicz, from his first marriage; two sons, Thomas and Brandon, and a daughter, Tammy Richards LeSure, from his second; a brother, Kenny; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. He was 97. His hands were pointed toward heaven in an attitude of prayer.. Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and although he became one of Americas most lionized and familiar celebrities a motivational speaker and Wheaties pitchman who personified wholesome values and once ran for president of the United States on a third-party ticket Richards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. His hands were pointed toward heaven in an attitude of prayer., Bob Richards, Pole-Vaulting Hero of the Cold War Era, Dies at 97, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/27/sports/olympics/bob-richards-dead.html. Richards also earned two gold medals for pole vault in the 1951 and 1955 Pan American Games. He was one of a kind.". These people who want to wave the flag and play the band, thats not the real spirit of the Olympics, he told The New York Times years later. These are the people you need to be following, listening to and watching on YouTube. . You are what you go for. His hands were pointed toward heaven in an attitude of prayer., Your email address will not be published. An American motivational speaker, author and entrepreneur. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. He also won 17 A.A.U. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. His son Paul confirmed the death. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 1 pole vaulterfor eight consecutive years. He is a frequent presenter at top management meetings around the world, both live . The 1952 Olympic Games were a symbolic watershed in the Cold War. His life was depicted in a made . He was 97. The Heart of a Champion: Inspiring True Stories of Challenge and Triumph, p.74, Revell, Bob Richards (2009). Even Richards son Brandon, as a teenager using a fiberglass pole in 1985, vaulted 18 feet 2 inches, which was then a national record for a high schooler and stood for 14 years. *, Bob Richards: Pole-Vaulting Hero of the Cold War Era, Why Elite Law and Medical Schools Cant Stand U.S. News, Three Skills From Psychotherapy That Can Change Your Brain, After Congressman George Santoss Resume Unraveled, a Reporter Asks Now What?, The Winsted Citizen: Ralph Naders Gift to His Hometown. Thats not what the Olympic spirit is all about.. Be a model, not a critic. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. Even Richardss son Brandon, as a teenager using a fiberglass pole in 1985, vaulted 18 feet 2 inches, which was then a national record for a high schooler and stood for 14 years. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Bob Odenkirk Tells The Incredible Story Of How Chris Farley's Infamous Motivational Speaker Sketch Came To Exist. The pole-vault competition lasted more than four hours. Goals give purpose. Purpose gives faith. He won 11 championship titles at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. Their experience moved them, and they pulled out this fighting spirit, making them what they are. That mark (pending official ratification) surpassed his own previous five world records, all over 20 feet and all set since 2020. Richards hugged him back, for which he was criticized by some American officials and members of the news media. Richards made the Olympic team that competed in the Games in London in 1948 and won a bronze medal. He tallied about 66,000 votes out of 92.6 million as President Ronald Reagan and the Republicans trounced Walter Mondale, the former Democratic vice president and senator from Minnesota. I'd estimate more than 5 million people could have beaten me in the pole vault the years I won it at least 5 million. His son, Brandon,. Just before graduation, he suffered a terrible accident. Thats not what the Olympic spirit is all about.. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect. 2. It would be fair to say that his work's been very influential in developing the careers of countless people within the personal development industry, including Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen and Anthony Robbins. We are very fortunate to have Bob Richards come and speak at our college, Hill College President Dr. Pam Boehm said. The 1952 Olympic Games were a symbolic watershed in the Cold War. They have a beautiful son and have a date set for their wedding. "We lost a national treasure today," Brandon Richards wrote Sunday on Facebook. Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, died Sunday at his home in Waco, Texas. Capitalizing on his fame, Richards became director of the Wheaties Sports Federation, founded in 1958 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for a national physical fitness campaign. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 10. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. He emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, The Times reported. He joined The Times in May 1961 and is also the co-author of two books. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Bob Richards is shown during a training session in 1952, the year he won his first Olympic gold in pole vaulting. Pole vaulter Rev. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. Capitalizing on his fame, Richards became director of the Wheaties Sports Federation, founded in 1958 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for a national physical fitness campaign. In fact, as a youth Richards, the son of a broken home, had run with a gang of thieves and brawlers, and five of his friends went to prison for robbery. "I am not a product of my . Although he hung up his cleats long ago, he continues to travel around the country as a motivational speaker. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. Strive for perfection - never be content with mediocrity. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland, and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. Thats not what the Olympic spirit is all about.. Besides winning two gold medals in the Olympics in the 1950s, he took a bronze medal at the 1948 Olympics in London and gold at the Pan American Games in 1951 and 1955. Courage gives enthusiasm. In 1951, he was named the country's top amateur athlete by the AAU. The essential thing in life is not in the conquering, but in the fight. 1. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Besides winning two gold medals in the Olympics in the 1950s, he took a bronze medal at the 1948 Olympics in London and gold at the Pan American Games in 1951 and 1955. LONDON - Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have been asked to give up the royal residence gifted to them to use by Queen Elizabeth II. Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, died Sunday at his home in Waco, Texas.